Oftentimes, it may become necessary to initiate corrective surgery on a particular knee joint of a patient. As just one example, partial and total knee arthroplasty (or total knee replacement) is a surgical procedure in which parts of the knee joint are replaced with artificial parts (prostheses). During the corrective surgery, the worn out bone and cartilage is removed and replaced with various biocompatible implants that take the place of the resected bone and cartilage. Knee arthroplasty usually comprises of (i) a femoral component which is fixed onto the distal end of the femur, (ii) the tibial components, which comprise a tibial tray and an intermediate component usually made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
In order to properly place these components, precise resection of the bone needs to be made by the surgeon. Resections to both the femoral condyles and tibia need to be made so that the implants precisely replace the material removed.
There is, therefore, a general need for a bone removal system and/or methods that enable surgeons to provide for precise bone resections. There is also a general need for bone removal devices and/or methods that allow a surgeon to maintain accuracy and precision in the cutting of the measured section of the bone during an orthopedic surgery. There is also a need for a bone removing device that allows surgeons to fine tune adjustments in the bone resection. There is also a general need for a bone removing device and/or system that enables a surgeon to remove minor layers of bone to facilitate proper gap balancing and placement of the implants.